Glenburn Tea Estate

Glenburn sits on a long ridge above the confluence of the Rungeet and Rung Dung rivers, with views across to the Kanchenjunga range. Owned by the Prakash family of the Chamong Group, it is one of the most respected family-run estates in Darjeeling and is equally well known among travellers as a pioneer of Indian tea tourism, with a colonial-era bungalow turned into one of the best regarded estate stays in Asia.

The estate was planted by a Scottish tea company in the mid-19th century and has been owned by the Prakash family since the 1980s. Tea production sits alongside an unusually well-developed hospitality operation: the original planter's bungalow and a second 'Water Lily' bungalow farther down the ridge are run as a small luxury hotel, with guests touring the factory, plucking with workers and tasting current invoices in a way that few other Darjeeling estates allow at this depth.

On the tea side, Glenburn is a mid-sized garden with a strong mix of old China-variety bushes and selected clonal sections. Its first flushes are bright and well structured; its second flushes lean toward a softer, honeyed muscatel rather than the more intense Jungpana or Castleton style. The estate also produces white, green and 'autumnal' lots.

Glenburn's combination of single-estate identity, family ownership, and developed visitor experience has made it one of the most internationally visible Darjeeling names - particularly in the US and UK gourmet markets, where its teas are sold under the estate name rather than blended away.

Signature teas

• Glenburn Moonshine First Flush
• Glenburn Euphoria
• Autumnal Glenburn

Certifications

Darjeeling GI

Visiting

The estate operates two heritage bungalows as a boutique hotel; guests can join plucking, factory tours and tastings.